From the Past to the Present
Certain gadgets and items are just bound to go away due to the technological advancement. Things like audio cassettes, VHS, typewriters, fax machines, old radios that were as big as a TV set, also the big fat TVs with cathode ray tubes themselves - all of them have been abandoned to give way to more efficient devices.
However, there are companies and people who come up with all sorts of crazy ideas of mixing the old and the new in their products. On the outcome, they get a unique blend of modern technologies looking all vintagy and fabulous, screaming for your attention. Plus, you might be surprised that some objects, you thought were obsolete, are still actively produced and purchased by both elder and new generations alike. So, here is a short list of such items.
Vintage Kitchenware
In a recent decade, the vintage and retro items made a miraculous comeback. The most notable ones can be found not in the antique shops but in the kitchen section of the stores and hypermarkets. This includes bread boxes, flatware sets, Dutch ovens, and many other things that can appear in the style forms from any fashion era. Either because of the nostalgia or an overall appeal of the old stuff, these objects in your kitchen can be an excellent way to built up or improve its look and create a cozy atmosphere.
Hot Dog Toasters, Waffle Makers, and Other Cooking Appliances
Continuing the kitchen theme, the hot dog toaster is the variation of a bread toaster for, wait for it, making hot dogs without a grill or an oven. The design of these toasters, as well as electric waffle makers and convection ovens, hasn’t changed that much over the decades. Therefore, you can spice up both your cooking routine and kitchen room fashion with the appliances like these too.
Straight Razors
In a similar fashion, the straight razors have regained their popularity. Although they are not cheap, a single straight razor can serve you for many years, while the disposable cartridges have to be switched - sometimes after just a couple of shaves. Besides, the cutthroats are not that much dangerous than any other razor types when handled in the right hands. Furthermore, shaving with the straight razor, using soap, scuttle, and the beaver bristle brush, can become surprisingly addictive and make a man feel more masculine and self-confident.
Typewriter’s PC Keyboard
Along with the items that came straight out of past without any design changes, you can easily find the devices that are filled with modern electronics but feature retro look.
For example, there is a USB mechanical keyboard, inspired by an old typewriter design. The round keys have small tactile borders for the fingers, and each button has a slightly elevated position above the glossy keyboard surface. This creates the unique feel of key travel distance just like on the old-fashioned typewriters.
AM/FM Radios
Just like that, there are AM/FM radios that replicate the vintage ones but can offer way more than meets the eye. Some of them have USB readers and support music playback via Bluetooth. The volume knobs and FM dials instead of a small LCD window only strengthen the impression, that it is just a classic radio.
Vinyl Record Players
Last year, the RIAA made a press release with a surprising statistics that vinyl sales revenue in 2015 has surpassed a 25-year record high. Despite the fact, that this is usually connected to the many deaths of the famous artists, the biggest income was generated by the bands and singers who are alive and well. Artists like Taylor Swift, Adele, Arctic Monkeys just prefer to release their albums on LPs as well as on CDs.
Nowadays, the vinyl records are often treated as collectibles or audiophile-only items. But you still need something to play them with. Along with the 1990’s strict-design players, you can buy the recently manufactured turntable players with a vintage body and high-tech electronics under the hood in order to decorate your room and amuse yourself and your guests with a clear and warm record sound.
Instant Cameras
Do you remember the bulky Polaroid cameras from the 90s with the mechanism that would spit out the photo right after you take a shot? Guess what? They are still around.
Of course, the instant camera and instant film technologies are not old enough to be considered "vintage". However, Polaroid cameras certainly give off a strong "old-school" vibe. There are only a handful of companies left in the world who still produce them. Yet, you can get a perfectly new compact instant camera starting from just $40 and up. They are really great and fun to shoot with because you quickly get physical photos with the memorable events on them to put in the album or into the photo frame on your desktop or wall. Finally, thanks to the modern technologies, you can also receive the digital copy in a flash memory along with the printed paper and download it to your computer to share with other people on the Internet too.
